(HAYS, Kan.) – The seventh-ranked Central Missouri Mules rallied from three runs down in the eighth inning to force extra innings, but fell 9-7 to Pittsburg State in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Larks Park. The loss eliminates UCM from the MIAA Tournament and the Mules must now wait until next Sunday to find out their NCAA postseason fate.
The Mules (35-11) took a first inning lead when Brad Wilson doubled home Samuel Domingue to put UCM in front. The Gorillas (28-22) tied the game in the second inning on a Jacoby Martin sacrifice fly.
UCM went back in front in the bottom of the frame on Jon Cotter’s sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead. Pittsburg State took the lead in the third on a Ryan Bilovesky two-run home run to grab the 3-2 advantage.
PSU pushed the lead to 4-2 on Luke Bordewick’s solo home run in the fourth. The Mules got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on a Barrett Noirfalise RBI groundout.
The Gorillas pushed their lead to 7-3 in the fifth scoring three runs on four hits in the frame. UCM got a run back in the sixth when Noirfalise homered to deep center field to pull within 7-4.
The lead stood until the eighth when the Mules scored three times to knot the score at 7-7. Trevor Jones’ bases-loaded double plated two runs and Cotter’s sacrifice fly tied the game. The go-ahead run was at third with two outs, but Domingue grounded out on a close play at first to end the inning.
Neither team was able to muster much in the ninth to force extra innings. The first two batters reached in the 10th for PSU and both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Following a strikeout, Austin Lastimado singled up the middle past a drawn in infield to score both runs. The Mules were retired in order in the bottom of the inning giving PSU the win and eliminating UCM from the MIAA Tournament.
Andrew Urban (5-3) took the loss for the Mules after giving up two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of relief. Jake Heissler threw 4.1 innings of four-hit relief to keep the Mules in it.
Ryan McKay (4-1) earned the win for the Gorillas after tossing 2.2 innings of relief allowing one run on two hits.